Comparison on Ueshiba in Mongolia and pic from "Spiritual Quietness" - same mudra (hand shape).

From a quick glance of the sources, it seems this old "new age" religion borrowed from a large amount of sources as Mr. Goldsbury aptly lists.

The big thing is - what effect did this have on his Daito ryu and then his Aikido. What would have Takeda Sokaku thought about this philosophical underpinning.

Perhaps, "Yeah, I can connect to the Universe and THROW YOU DOWN." To the face!

Scott Harrington

Happy New Year!
I looked at Stanley Pranin's account of the 1922 six-month stay of Takeda Sokaku and family in Ayabe with the Ueshiba household. From Stan's account, there was no love lost between Takeda and Onisaburo Deguchi. However it was after this encounter that Takeda added aiki to the name of his art, making it Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu. The dinnertime conversations must have been interesting indeed.